Cinnamon Lips
by ForsakenKalika
Summary: Brainworms be damned, Sakura was obviously attracted to Kakashi. He just needed her to realize it... again. Quasi-crack, OOC, awkward lemon. 18 pls.


A few things before we get started; I know Kakashi is OOC, I know this is slightly crack-ish, but really, this was simply written as pure fun(and some smut)

That said, this fanfiction contains mature situations, and is not recommended for any persons under the age of 18(or 21, depending on your province or state).

Disclaimer: Naruto is property of Kishimoto and respective parties. I do not own anything, except for a really cool Itachi/Kisame poster, and a Gaara poster. I do not own OK Go(since this was inspired by them). If I did, they'd play my kids to sleep every night. Enjoy!

For everyone on the forums, thanks for the laughs. This has a weird tempo, so good luck! Cookies to anyone who gets some pop culture references in here.

Cinnamon Lips

It was really no surprise Kakashi would notice Sakura falling for him. He was an elite shinobi, and she was painfully obvious. She quite literally tripped over her own legs and onto him.

Training ground 12 was near decimated as two ninja dodged and attacked each other. One, a tall, silver-haired man ran through the trees, hoping to confuse his opponent; a shorter, pink-haired woman. The man's lanky form wove through the branches of what was left, masking his chakra slightly. As the roseate followed on the ground, her vibrant green eyes kept track of the movement of the branches as they bowed under his weight. He could mask his chakra as much as he wanted, he couldn't suddenly lose weight.

He stopped suddenly, and Sakura quickly made a Kage Bunshin. Exchanging a look, she ran off to wait, while her copy stayed behind. After a moment, the Sakura bunshin pounded the ground, sending shock waves toward the tree Kakashi had hidden in.

He jumped down before any damage was done to him and the two exchanged blows. The clone jumped back from a particularly well-placed kick and dodged a few kunai.

She ran toward him, hands flickering through signs. 'Boar, Tiger, Ox...' His Sharingan slowed her movements down, fixed on her graceful fingers. 'Ha! Kage bunshin...' Kakashi covered his eye once more, fully prepared to perform a kawarimi, but in the span of seconds between closing his eye and aligning his hands, a weight plowed into his side.

"Oof!" The breath expelled from his lungs in a painful whoosh.

His body spun toward the offending body, reflexively wrapping his arms around it. All the while, his mind was reeling as he realized Sakura's bunshin had been performing a fake jutsu while the real one laid in wait to mount a surprise attack. It would have succeeded too, if she hadn't tripped at a vital striking point.

The sound she made following her flailing flying leap attack (as he would later dub it), was somewhere between a question and declarative; a mix of, "Oh!" and "-The hell?!"

The look in her bright green eyes upon realizing she was on top of him, attached at the lips, was priceless. Shock was the most prevalent, as well as an unsaid apology, and a smattering of barely hidden lust. Her eyes flicked down toward their connected lips, then back to his lone grey-black orb.

They stared at each other for a moment, and slowly he began to raise himself onto his elbows. His movement broke her shock, and using him as leverage, she pushed him back down while pushing herself back up. Hips accidentally ground together, and Kakashi's jaw clenched. A whimper sounded in the back of her throat, and a blush spread prettily across the bridge of her nose and her cheeks.

Promptly after, she scrambled off, and managed to suddenly remember that her coffee pot was left on, even though she only drank proper tea. Then, and this further amused the silver-haired man, she ran off, flailing even more, with mutterings of how, "That was NOT how she wanted to start her day."

It WAS a surprise when she suddenly lost interest, the day after falling onto him lips-first.

She simply pretended the incident had never happened.

Their sparring had been as full-contact as usual, if not more so. He was delighted to see Sakura utilizing her keen intellect, and she had thrown a couple new strategies at him with confidence. She made jokes at his expense, and even knocked him in the head when he tried to pull out his trusty paperback companion.

In short, she treated him like her other two teammates, minus the torrid boy-loving that had been occurring between the two for the last few months (the situation between Naruto and Sasuke was the cause of many a nosebleed or despairing sigh. And occasionally, a strange gagging, retching noise when Kiba was nearby...).

As she wandered off at the end of the day, Kakashi was strangely dismayed at the lack of sexual tension between them. He was taken aback by the cool attitude she conveyed, as if they were simply teammates, nothing else.

He observed her that night, as she went to the bar with Sasuke. True to form, there was no longing in her person for the last Uchiha, except maybe as a bodyguard from the pervert at the bar who kept trying to grope her at every refill.

Even as the conversation turned to her current morning spars with him, Kakashi noted a lack of attraction on her part. So what was the cause of such a change?

Now, Kakashi was a logical man, and his flawless logic stated that Sakura had obviously lost her mind to the ranks of gray matter digesting parasites. He knew Sakura, had known her for years, and she was never one to hide an attraction, nor was she the type to suddenly get over someone. Besides, he was Hatake Kakashi! He was an ANBU, The Legendary Copy Nin, and damn fine.

Not one to let the poor girl suffer from Brain Worms, he put forth a plan to *ahem* rescue her. He then patted himself figuratively and literally on the back for his magnanimity. He was such a caring soul.

The plan consisted of four 'phases,' each one progressively more intrusive to Sakura's mental workings. He decided in order to save her, he must ingratiate himself so thoroughly into her life, she had no reason not to trust him. With what, he wasn't entirely sure. Her secrets, her friendship, her cinnamon flavored kisses- wait, what?

He shook his head to rid himself of the memory of her cinnamon gum, and the way her lips felt on his. God help his sanity if he remembered how well her body molded to his, or the way she wriggled to get fr-

Off track! Way off track!

Back to the plan. Four phases to figure out why Sakura bothered to hide her attraction for him.

He set about putting the first in place, and praised himself for his genius. He really was a humble man.

Phase one: Must Love Dogs

The way Kakashi saw it, women were suckers for all things furry and beady eyed.

Having learned from previous experience, these 'things' did not include rats, and the women that DID find those cute... Well... One really didn't want to associate themselves with that type of woman unless they felt the need to be tied up. And subsequently tortured.

Now, Kakashi was no stranger to the joys of being blindfolded and tied to a bed. He had simply never had hot wax dripped on him. Or been paddled. Or been dangled by his nipples.

Well, not as a form of foreplay, or at least he hoped his captors had never gotten off on torturing him.

Which explained why he stayed well away from Anko. One was never sure with that crazy bird. She was either a sadist or a masochist, never both. And the feral looks she frequently bestowed upon the moonlight-topped shinobi were not submissive in the least.

He shuddered and brought his attention back to Phase One.

He smirked as he walked with Pakkun through the market. The little pug knew something was up, but the enigmatic summoner would reveal nothing.

"Boss, what are we doing again?" The dog craned his neck to observe Kakashi's lanky form, meandering past food stalls. His chocolate eyes strayed at a particularly aromatic sausage vendor, and he whimpered subconsciously.

"Well, you're going to help me." Pakkun's eyes moved back to the Jounin.

"Okay... With what?" The tall man paused in front of a Korean barbecue joint and smiled down at his companion.

"You, my friend, are going to help me find out what's up with Sakura-chan."

A strange rasping filled the air around him and he realized the pug was chuckling. "So," he said after a moment,"You expect me to risk my fur to spy on Floral Green? Have you been off your meds?"

Kakashi's lone dark eye rolled. "Ha ha, Pakkun. Yes, I expect you to HELP me figure out why Sakura's been acting so weirdly."

The pug raised a paw in the air, as if to make a point, and a point he did make. "Did you consider asking her?"

"Yes, and due to her rather tempestuous nature, I've decided that I like being in one piece, rather than many little pieces."

"How nice of you to send me in, instead. You're a real stand-up guy, Hatake." The pug's muzzle nearly dribbled sarcasm.

Kakashi waved him off. "Pakkun, it's not like you'd be in any real danger. You're a dog, girls like dogs."

"Girls like PUPPIES," Pakkun corrected.

"Yeah, and you're vaguely puppy-ish." Kakashi waved his hand at Pakkun's general size.

Pakkun bared his teeth in annoyance. "Wow, you're really winning me over. I'm just gonna go home to the wife, now. Good luck, kid."

"Wait." Kakashi sighed before continuing. "I'll buy you a couple links of those sausages you were eyeing back there."

Pakkun thought for a moment. His wife WOULD like those, and it was nearing their anniversary. "Fine," Pakkun replied, obviously not as excited as Kakashi was. Speaking of his summoner...

"Hey! Wait up!" Pakkun called, trotting to catch up with the man who was already pushing through the crowd. He had no idea where they were going, but he had a feeling of unease that just wouldn't go away.

When they arrived at Training Ground 3, Pakkun had the sneaking suspicion he should turn tail and poof away. He was too late, however, as his Jounin 'friend' suddenly launched a mini-Suiryudan at him, through the dirt, coating him with mud.

"Pakkun!" Kakashi chastised, suddenly.

"Wait! Huh? But-" the dog sputtered, trying unsuccessfully to remove mud from his eyes.

"And we're all out of shampoo!" Oh, great plan, jackass.

"Kakashi, what happened to Pakkun?" A distinctly curious female voice entered the air.

Knowing this was his time to perform, Pakkun piped up, while moving his attentions to the mud ball in his ear. "Kaka the Baka over here summoned me into a veritable mud pit. Now I have to get this crap out of my fur, and what seems like every orifice, before my wife sees me, except aforementioned dumbass forgot we were out of shampoo." What? He could poke some fun at Kakashi while getting close to Sakura.

Holding her sides, Sakura shook with laughter. "Oh, oh God that's good. 'Kaka the Baka!' I'll have to remember that one!"

Kakashi rolled his eye. "Thanks for giving her fodder, Pakkun."

Finally calming down, Sakura squatted down to pug-level. "I don't use it anymore, but I still have some of that Floral Green at my apartment. You're welcome to it."

Pakkun brightened a bit. "Can we leave Retardo the Clown behind?"

Sakura snorted and nodded, unable to speak through the giggles. Kakashi simply muttered about retaliation.

As Sakura's giggles calmed, she waved Pakkun along with her. Pakkun could be heard as they left, "I have more, if you want to hear them."

Suddenly, this was not so good of an idea.

An hour later, Pakkun arrived back at Kakashi's modest (read: cramped) apartment. When Kakashi's death glare finally faded to more of a petulant narrowing of eyes, Pakkun briefed him.

"She gives amazing back rubs."

Kakashi blinked. Consider that filed away. "And?"

"And nothing. She didn't say anything, really. She mentioned feeling like a total jackass about laughing at you, got a little red in the face, and began rubbing my back."

Filed and filed. Now onto more important things. "'Kaka the Baka'? 'Retardo the Clown'?"

If a pug could shrug, he would be doing just that. "I thought it would be a good way to get her to trust me enough. If I normally suggested leaving you behind, she would be suspicious. Instead, I opted to play it off as annoyance at the situation."

Kakashi's disapproving stare lightened, and Pakkun continued. "For what it's worth, she told me to get over it and stop acting like such a bitch."

Ouch. More than a couple sausages would be needed for Pakkun's injured pride and masculinity.

"So I'm no closer than before," Kakashi mused leaning against the side of the stall, having procured seven venison sausages, and a hot dog.

"On the contrary," Pakkun replied around a sausage link, "You know she feels badly for laughing at you."

"Not exactly. She feels badly for laughing at people who fall up stairs, but she does it anyway."

"True."

Phase two: Age Before Beauty

Upon further speculation, Kakashi realized that Sakura was not, in fact, the typical girl. Therefore, he concluded, one could not attempt to get inside her head using the traditional methods of flowers, candies, and fluffy animals.

Instead, he opted to ignore her. In chess, the best way to win is to feed the opponent pieces, luring them into a false sense of control.

He would do just that. He would be a wall, neither pushing nor pulling, allowing her freedom to act as she may. Lucky for him, a two-person mission just became available, and he knew just who his partner would be.

"This will be a simple mission. C-rank, really, but the client is paying A-rank, so treat it as such." The blonde Kage seemed just as bored giving this mission out as he did receiving it.

"Hai, Tsunade-sama." She rattled her nails on the surface of her desk in an even tattoo.

Upon giving his answer to Tsunade, he began plotting every single way he could make Sakura nervous, thusly observing her for any signs of her obvious attraction for him.

Feeling her specific chakra signature approaching the office, Kakashi readied himself for his grand performance.

"You summoned me, Hokage-sama?" Sakura's voice range through the office, clear as a bell. She closed the door and quietly took her place at Kakashi's side.

"Yeah, you've got a mission." Tsunade sighed, knowing this was too easy for shinobi of their caliber, but the client was willing to pay. "You two will be going to the land of Snow to be the muscle for a merchant deal."

Sakura shifted a bit in place. "Um, excuse me, Shishou, but isn't that something-"

"Yeah, yeah," Tsunade waved her off. "It's child's play, but the client is paying A-rank for it, so you might as well take the job."

"O...kay. Well, uh, when do we leave?" This question was directed at Kakashi, but at his silence, Sakura looked at Tsunade and shrugged.

"Tomorrow morning, Sakura," she replied.

"Well, then, I will see you tomorrow afternoon," Sakura told Kakashi cheekily. He did not reply, instead bowing slightly at Tsunade and poofing out.

The two women were left staring at the space he previously occupied.

Tsunade was the first the break the silence. "And that was...?" She let the question hang in the air for a moment. She jumped as Sakura barked a laugh.

"Kakashi thinks he's going to get inside my head. Pakkun explained it all yesterday." The roseate made her way to the chair across from Tsunade and pulled a liter of sake out of her thigh pouch.

"Something tells me this is going to be good."

The next morning, knowing Kakashi would purposely be on time at the gates, Sakura arrived fifteen minutes earlier. He wanted to play with her mind? Let him try.

Sitting against the wall near Izumo and Kotetsu, she pulled her hair in a ponytail and triple-checked her pack. Finally satisfied, she whipped out a notorious orange book. 'Cha! Take that, jackass!'

Feeling Kakashi's chakra approaching, she stood and continued to read. Without a word, he strode past her and out the gates.

As they leapt through the trees, Kakashi couldn't get the strange sight of Sakura reading Icha Icha out of his head. Looking back at her, he noticed she was still reading.

"Help you?" She asked without removing her nose from the pages. He simply turned his head and continued on.

The day continued on as such. When they stopped for food, Sakura lit her own small fire and cooked her own meal. Kakashi was loathe to say it smelled better than his own, and his stomach protested that it probably tasted better as well.

He was a bit put off that the pink-haired girl didn't even try to initiate conversation, but more than once he had seen a wry look in her eyes after catching him staring multiple times.

The two neared the dock to take a boat to Snow country, and the tide turned. Kakashi was in the middle of haggling about fares, unsuccessfully at that. He was about to move to another ferry, when Sakura led the captain away.

From the distance, Kakashi couldn't hear what was said, but her body language was loud and clear. He watched as she nonchalantly slid her hand down the older man's arm, and batted her eye lashes just right.

The two approached again, and Kakashi looked out at the water, pretending to be in thought.

"Well, sir, I can't do much better than 100 ryo per." Kakashi's eyes nearly popped out. The man had been stuck at 500 ryo a head before.

"I let him know our predicament, 'Tou-san." Sakura added, smiling sweetly. "You know, about the medic in Snow for 'Kaa-san?"

"Ahh," he replied, nodding in false chagrin. "I didn't want anyone to feel badly for us." His visible eye glared into Sakura's, and she turned toward the captain.

"Well, Hiroshi-san has been very generous," she flirted with the fifty-something captain, her voice deepening, promising something women only got paid to do.

Even Kakashi had to mentally slap himself, as he watched the captain adjust his pants.

200 ryo later, they were on their way to Snow.

Kakashi was in his cabin below, while Sakura was exploring the decks. This was not supposed to happen. She was showing no signs of discomfort at his silence, and even used her charms to lower their fare. He hadn't even been aware she had charms to use!

A small knock at the door broke him from his thoughts. The candy-haired barely legal poked her head in, and upon seeing he was dressed and his hands were visible, she entered the room.

Kakashi was a bit perturbed that she was saying nothing. He was even more so, when she began rifling through her bag, only to pull out a cocktail dress that was so small, he was sure it was in a children's size.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, annoyed that he had been the one to break the silence. She snorted and eyed him sideways. Turning back to her bag, she grabbed her makeup and sauntered into the bathroom.

"Dinner with Hiroshi-san." She waited to laugh until after the cabin door slammed shut. This was too fun.

Fifteen minutes later, Kakashi re-entered the room, a blush creeping over his mask line. Sakura sat on the bed, adjusting her hose.

"You didn't tell me we were both invited."

She met his eye innocently. "You didn't ask." With that, Kakashi set about selecting his own clothing and entered the bathroom.

Dinner was uneventful, other than the captain trying without success to find Sakura's foot under the table. When Kakashi stomped on the invading

appendage 'out of reflex', Hiroshi-san gave up.

Dessert came, and once again Hiroshi attempted flirtation, this time in the form of fondue. All was well until Sakura got her hands, or rather skewer, on a strawberry. Time slowed as both men watched her pink tongue dart out to surround the fruit and lick the chocolate delicately off.

"Sakura-chan, don't you think it's a bit late for chocolate?" Kakashi asked, almost desperate for the torture to end. "After all, you barely fit into that dress to begin with." When all else fails, call her fat.

"Oh 'Tou-san!" Sakura giggled and covered her mouth daintily. "You say such terrible things now that you're getting older." Touché.

She turned her attention to the captain. "I am afraid my father is correct, though. We have a long travel ahead of us and must retire."

The captain sputtered protests. "Surely your father can look after himself for a bit, no?" Kakashi's glare went unnoticed by the smitten man.

"Unfortunately, Hiroshi-san, my father is getting up in years, and doesn't remember things very well. I must stay by his side, to ensure he doesn't do anything he might regret." Get your digs in now, Pinky.

The captain nodded, and tears filled his eyes. "If only my own daughter were as loving as you." Daughter? What a pervert!

Kakashi stayed silent until they were back in their quarters. As soon as the cabin door shut, he trapped Sakura against it. "Have fun, Princess?"

Sakura grinned wickedly. "Much. It was a lovely dinner."

He moved closer to her, intent on reading her eyes for any sort of discomfort at his proximity. That would prove she wasn't possessed by ear wigs from beyond the stars.

His coal eye widened. She wasn't intimidated. What the-

"-Hell game are you playing?"

Unexpectedly, she moved closer to him, nose to nose. "No game." She smirked and ducked out from under him. "Honestly Kakashi, don't take it personally." With that, she shut the bathroom door to dress herself for sleep.

Kakashi was already on his cot when she returned. He listened to her shuffle into her own cot, and knew when her breathing slowed, she was asleep.

Tomorrow, he would begin Phase Three, but there was a nagging feeling he couldn't put a name to. He was fairly certain she knew what he was up to, so now he needed to do something she wouldn't guess.

He had to admit, there was something attractive about a girl who could hold her own, whether it be in a battle of wits, or just a battle. Thinking of Sakura's eyes lighting to a bright jade while poking fun at him made his stomach do a funny half-twist swan dive.

He would have to ask the captain if the food was going out of date.

Phase three: Absinthe Makes the Heart...

The arrival to Snow was nothing new. The partially frozen dock on which their boat nudged was coated with a mixture of ice and sludge. The air was something Sakura missed from the last time they were here. Konoha just didn't have the crispness, or the slightly salty tinge from being right on the water.

Fishmongers were calling out their freshest, and clothing and supply stalls were packed with the ill-prepared. Coming to the land of Snow, one should think to pack for cold weather.

Because they had time to kill, Sakura dallied at an accessory stall. "Hey, Kakashi! What do you think?" He turned to reply, instead choking out a laugh upon seeing a massive pair of neon green fuzzy earmuffs upon the roseate's head.

Scowling, she paid the sales woman and stomped past Kakashi, nudging his shoulder.

"What? Sakura!" He called after her in exasperation. "You don't even know where the inn is!"

She paused to turn around. Jutting a finger to her left, she smiled wryly. "I thought you were supposed to be observant!" Laughing, she turned toward the inn, remarking, "Some genius you are."

Frowning, he followed after her. "At least my head doesn't look like a kiwi fruit." He had no idea the usually lady like konoichi even knew that particular hand gesture.

It wasn't hard to find the inn where they were to meet their client; just look for the most obscenely grandiose excuse for frivolous spending.

Their client was the middle ground between very short and very wide, and looked about ready to sell them their own shoes, double the price. His thinning brown hair was greasy and his eyes resembled a ferret's.

"Oh, good, good. You're here." Shaking Kakashi's hand, he smiled widely. Greedily eyeing Sakura, his grin got even wider. As his eyes roved her well hidden figure, he shook her hand. "I'm Udon Dai."

Sakura, in turn, shook his hand vigorously, adding a tiny bit of chakra which cracked his knuckles. "Haruno Sakura." Wiping her hand on her fitted pants, she beat Kakashi to the punch. "And this is my partner, Hatake Kakashi."

Udon's beady eyes widened in recognition and his face lightened. "The Copy Ninja! Good, good." Kakashi could imagine Udon rubbing his hands together, plotting the ways he could utilize Kakashi's skills. But as his eyes moved back to Sakura's form, Kakashi was sure he had other plans on what he could utilize.

He cleared his throat, and Udon's eyes snapped back to his own lazy eye. "So, Udon-san, could you provide us with a bit of information on the meeting? The other clients- names, descriptions, that sort of thing."

Without any hesitation, but with a definite glare at Kakashi for ruining his appraisal of Sakura, Udon snapped a scroll out of his haori. Kakashi fought a shudder thinking of where that scroll originally was. Ugh... It was still warm.

The merchant deal went through without any bloodshed. The two shinobi were absolutely unnecessary.

The murmured banter between the two made up for the fact, however.

"Why are we here again?" Sakura asked, obviously annoyed. Sitting in dusty rafters to view the dealings from above for four hours had that effect on people.

Kakashi eyed her sideways as she wriggled and slapped at her vest.

"Oh! I get it. We're the exterminators." She sighed as she pulled yet another spider out of her hair. Around the one hour mark, she had pulled out THE book. Kakashi was still thrown for a loop seeing her reading it.

"At least he put us up for the night." Kakashi eyed Sakura wearily. Phases One and Two failed. Now it was on to Phase Three.

When all else fails, get her drunk. Okay, admittedly not the best of ideas, but Kakashi was becoming impatient.

"Oi," he called her attention. "You ever have absinthe?" Sakura's nose crinkled a bit and she shook her head.

"Doesn't that shit make you hallucinate?" She went back to reading. Licking her finger to turn the page, she eyed Kakashi. "Why? They have it here?"

He nodded and nearly laughed at the mischief that invaded her emerald gaze. "What do you say? Room service and alcohol?"

Sakura shrugged, which he took as her assent.

Two hours later, they were laying on the floor of their hotel room, stomach down, facing each other with a deck of cards between then.

"Ha! 4! Social!!" Sakura cried, pouring them each a shot of the green liquid.

"How are you not sloshed?" Kakashi wondered aloud, his 's's having a distinct lisp. Sakura looked at him like he was the world's biggest idiot.

"Oh my god! You really are a baka! You do know who my Shishou is, right?" Kakashi could have slapped himself. Or he would have if he could move his arms.

Suffice it to say, Kakashi would never challenge Sakura to another drinking game.

"No, really," he slurred.

The pink-haired woman shrugged. "I can metabolize alcohol quickly because of my poison training. You just concentrate your chakra to your liver and kidneys." She gathered chakra into her fingers and pressed them to her side. "See?"

"'S not fair." He muttered. Suddenly, his own side tingled, and his head began to clear. "Taking pity on an old man?" He asked, still smoldering at her digs at his age the night before.

"Oh shut it. I want you relatively sober for this." She snapped back. She was greeted with an eyebrow raise.

"Really, Sakura! I expected better from the Hokage's apprentice!" She smacked him upside the head, and for a moment he wondered if she got faster or if he got slower.

"What of it? I was YOUR genin."

"Are you insinuating I have something to do with tainting your innocence?" His interest was piqued now.

Kakashi was beginning to learn a lot about Sakura, if he actually thought about it. She was full of surprises. Witty, funny, sharp sarcasm, could hold her liquor. It helped that she was easy on the eyes.

Somewhere between last night and today, Kakashi had come to terms with the fact that, not only was Sakura a fine female specimen, but he was definitely male.

He awoke that morning hearing whispers of his name from sultry red lips. Lips that just happened to belong on a face accompanied by bright green eyes, a wide forehead, and pink hair. Not to mention that cute smattering of freckles across her nose, but that's only when one got right down to it. He most certainly hadn't noticed. Not at all!

"Oh please, Kakashi! You read porn around twelve year olds!-"

"Romantic literature!" He protested.

"Not to mention that time in Ame-" she pointed back at him.

"Got a letter from her a month or so ago." He supplied.

"Yeah? How's she doing? Did she marry... Uh... Whasshisface?" Sakura was so easy to divert if one knew how.

"Yeah, they've got a few kids now."

"Huh," Sakura puffed a breath, "I'm surprised, considering you took her virginity. You'd think he'd noticed that." Kakashi nearly drowned, choking on his drink. She eyed him sideways and grinned.

"How'd you...?"

"I'm not fucking stupid, Kakashi, and I'm not some blushing virgin. I know what to look for, and when you're fourteen, and you hear your ex-sensei say. 'god you're tight,' you know he's not talking about shrinking his clothes in the laundry."

Amusingly enough, the only part Kakashi caught, or at least focused on was Sakura proclaiming she wasn't a virgin.

A few minutes went by in silence as Sakura grabbed a dango stick and her book. She curled up against the foot of her bed, and opened to a dog-eared page.

"Who?" Kakashi's voice was quiet, almost insistent.

Sakura sighed and closed her book. "Seriously? Shino." At his near saucer-eyed expression, she continued. "Kakashi, I know you and the boys try to protect me, but you're terrible at it. I don't entirely understand how three elite shinobi can protect the Fire Daimyo's daughter, but they can't preserve the purity of their only female teammate."

He made a motion of 'go on', and leaned in intently. If that Aburame fuck was going to die, he wanted as much information as possible.

"Sasuke was still gone. It was when he formed Hebi. You remember that mission before Pein's invasion. The one where we all split up? Well, the night before we left, I was working on antidotes for my kit. I needed some extract, and the flowers that have it are only on Aburame property. We got talking, and then drinking, reminiscing. I told him I was scared. Sasuke had already tried to kill me, and here I was possibly going to face him again?"

Kakashi nodded. He knew the rest. He couldn't fault her for wanting to experience sex before she possibly died. His own experience was less a mutual understanding, more of a hurried business transaction on the cusp of the Second War.

"So," his voice cracked and he winced. Throat suddenly dry, he took his shot. "So," he tried again, "What else have we missed?"

The list continued. Sakura's seven steady boyfriends, and handful of seduction missions, not to mention the Icha Icha she had was signed by Jiraiya. Kakashi's head was spinning.

"Who do you think his character, Mika, is based- are you okay?" She asked, more than a little amused at his bewildered expression.

"I think I need to lay down." Her light chuckle followed him to bed.

"Who'd have thought? The great Copy Ninja, Hatake Kakashi goes green at the thought of a former student's sex life?" She laughed, and he winced. She was laughing at him!

"Goodnight, Kakashi. Sweet dreams." Fat chance of that!

Phase... Aww, the Hell With It!

The trip back to Konoha was filled with silence. Unless it was of dire import, not a word was spoken, and even then, if it could be conveyed by hand sign, it was.

Kakashi's thoughts ranged from disappointment in himself for not protecting the girl from the world, to befuddlement at how she invaded his every thought, to finally, slow understanding.

He had questioned her actions throughout the entirety of the mission, and realized he had been played. Not only had she managed to turn his objective around on him, she had made him question himself.

Hatake Kakashi was a man of questionable virtue, but undying loyalty. He had morals and ethics so deeply rooted in shinobi way, he had forgotten that he was a human male.

Love, for him, had always been impossible. It was for civilians who eloped, and women's novels. It had no place in his life.

Until now. Now, he questioned WHY it had no place with him. Sakura had done that.

By learning his game and twisting it on him, she had made herself seem an enigma. Everyone who knew Kakashi knew he liked three things: badly written porn, training, and puzzles. Now the pink haired girl had traversed the line of associate and sometimes teammate, to become an enchanting woman that got his attention.

She had successfully made Kakashi a fanboy. That was not okay.

While Kakashi's silence was filled with contemplation, Sakura's was filled with contentment.

Having been the girl who wore her heart on her sleeve as a teenager, she had steeled herself against emotional onslaught as a woman. Sasuke had a lot to do with that, and she thanked him every day for showing her how strong she could be.

She had known all along about Kakashi's convoluted plan to figure her out. She knew it stemmed from her 'accidental' kiss. Sure, she had a crush on Kakashi, but she certainly wasn't in love with him.

That line of thought was for trashy romance novels and flighty girls with no real direction.

She firmly believed her attraction to Kakashi to be yet another spectacular failing, just like Sasuke. So why did his little crescent shaped eye crinkles make her heart beat a little faster?

Long ago, she had decided to hide away her feelings, but then she kissed him. While it was more of an uncoordinated mashing of lips, she had to admit, they were nice lips.

Pakkun's divulgence had not only given her the courage to admit what she felt (really, it was just a crush), but had also sealed Kakashi's fate. She would make him feel the same exact way!

And so, she mindfucked Kakashi. She made him question everything he thought he knew about her, and she did it with a smile. Sakura would willingly take any consequence that came from her actions, and she would do that with a smile as well.

When they entered the gates, Sakura bid Kakashi a farewell, and headed off to the Hokage's tower to report. And to bring Tsunade the absinthe she had requested before they left.

Shortly thereafter, she went home to her apartment to unwind before her double shift the next day. As she entered her apartment, she began to piece together her next move.

More than likely, Kakashi would be stewing in his confusion. He would think about everything that had happened in the last few days, and he would question it. He would question himself.

Upon realizing his attraction to her, he would go through the range of emotions one did when grieving.

He would first deny everything.

_

Kakashi bounded over the rooftops of Konoha, searching for some respite to the turbulence in his heart. He could not, absolutely could not, have a thing for Sakura. Just thinking about her eyes; the way they alternated shades of green, so they never fixed on just one color.  
He shook his head, regaining his direction back to his flat. And even if her did like her, it was wrong.

It was- all her fault!

_

Then would come the anger.

Sakura almost felt bad for the slew of inanimate objects Kakashi would punish while he traveled on his path to acceptance. She wasn't stupid. She had seen the way his gaze had been straying toward her when they were at the pub. The way his touch lingered occasionally while ruffling her hair.

Sakura had realized both their feelings long ago. It was high time he did.

She phoned Ino, and made their evening plans.

_

He slammed the door of his apartment. That crazy bird had somehow made him think he liked her! He knew women could do some amazing things, but she had actually taken his game and flipped it around.

He would do anything to take back the filthy thoughts circulating his head. Sakura with her legs wrapped around his waist, green eyes rolled back, screaming-

_

Kakashi would bargain, over and over. As she waited for Ino, she lounged in a bubble bath. Sloughing off the day's dirt, Sakura considered all the possibilities. The chances were pretty high that Kakashi would come looking for her, first at her apartment, then with anyone she knew. When he found her, the question was, would he be angry?

She chose not to ponder any further, instead deciding to play the situation by ear.

_

"Come on!" He pleaded, to whatever higher power there was listening. "Just make it go away. I'll do anything as long as you do. I promise! Just give me some sign you're listening!"

A breeze swept through his apartment, ruffling the old newspapers littering his coffee table. Kakashi looked down at them, and he fell to his knees upon seeing the words that had formed from the headlines; from the front page article on the sakura festival, to the community page crackpot having found a 'perfect' likeness of the First Hokage in a piece of rye toast.

_

He would become depressed. Wrapping a terry towel around her slim form, Sakura stepped out of the bath. Ino would arrive soon, and she wanted to be mostly dry and fully prepared for the night.

She hastily scrubbed a towel through her hair and threw on a robe. Just in time, apparently, as a knock sounded on her door.

"Oi! Suriagebitai! Open the door! Your neighbor's looking at me funny!"

Opening the door and rushing Ino in, Sakura then poked her head out, waving at her neighbor. "Gomen!" Shutting the door, she faced the blonde girl, looking all too much like the cat who had gotten the cream.

"What?" Ino queried, backing away slowly in slight fear.

_

Okay, so apparently the only omniscient being listening was Ecchi, the god of near middle-aged ninja in love(?) with their students.

Kakashi's head hung in defeat. He couldn't deny what he felt anymore. The fact that Sakura had managed to succeed where others had failed, and with little effort at that, was awe-inspiring.

He was perfectly aware he had been turned into a fanboy. Did he like it? Yes and no. He adored the girl, and, upon further introspection, realized that a part of him had for a few years now.

But really, couldn't his epiphany have come on slowly, but no less effectively?

After even more inner exploration, Kakashi came to an even greater realization; this was all Sakura's fault. If she hadn't met his tit with her tat, hadn't verbally and mentally sparred with him, he would not feel this way.

His mind unwillingly went back to the kiss. Deep down, he knew it was completely accidental. 'Yeah, accidental. As in, whoops, my tongue is down your throat,' his subconscious supplied.

Now that he thought about it, she hadn't actually tripped on anything, and she could have fallen in any other direction. His blood boiled. He needed answers, and now.

_

Finally, upon finding no reprieve from his feelings, he would have to accept them. And when he did, he would come looking for her.

Holding a vibrant forest green dress up for inspection from Ino, Sakura smirked.

"What?" The pinkette shook her head and broke into a full on smile.

"Have I told you what happened with Kakashi?" Ino's eyes lightened and she raised a blonde brow. New gossip was always a good start to an evening out. Settling on an aqua halter dress, she bent to find shoes.

"Aside from you planting one on him?"

Sakura nodded. "He thinks that was an accident, by the way. I can't believe you dared me to."

Ino waved away her disbelief with a noncommittal grunt. "You'd never have done it on your own. You've been hot on the guy for how long?" She found her shoes and began to dress.

"Regardless... Anyway, Shishou sent us on a mission together-"

"ooooh, hot and hea-vy!" Ino wolf whistled. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Don't be crass- and the entire time, he was trying to get into my head, trying different tactics, to see why I was suddenly Miss Professionalism." Ino handed Sakura the silver shoes to go with her dress, and sifted through her cosmetics.

"How do you know that's what he was doing? Maybe he was having guy PMS. They DO get that, you know." Sakura held up underwear.

"Black or red?"

"Black."

"Pakkun told me." She clasp her bra and slipped the cotton sundress over her body.

"Wait, Pakkun his summon Pakkun?" Once again, Sakura rolled her eyes.

"No, the greengrocer, Pakkun. Yes, his summon. He said Kakashi couldn't figure me out, and decided to try and get in my head. He even told me how he would do it." Ino paused in the middle of applying mascara.

"Why didn't he just ask you?"

"Right?" She slid her feet into the silver strappy heels and eyed herself in the mirror. "Anyway, Pakkun thinks that deep down Kakashi likes me, and THAT'S why it bothers him that I suddenly lost interest."

"Okay, so now what?"

Sakura smoothed her dress in the mirror and met Ino's eyed in the reflection. "Now, we go out!"

"Don't you think Kakashi will be looking for you?"

"Exactly. He wants me so bad? I'm going to make him work for it."

"That's my girl!"

_

Kakashi was fine with the fact that his once boy-crazy student had suddenly morphed into a smart and sexy seductress. Though it baffled him as to when it had happened, the fact was THAT it had happened, and he was reaping the benefits.

As he set one foot on his window sill, Kakashi decided to confront the problem and put an end to this pussy-footing around.

He bunched himself, coiling like a new spring, before jumping toward the neighboring rooftop. The sooner he spoke to Sakura, the better.

_

"Shit. Shitshitshitshitshit." Where was she? After five more minutes of knocking, hoping she had just been in the loo, one of her neighbors popped out.

"Her loud, blonde friend took her out for the night?"

Then there was only one place she could be.

"Arigato!"

_

Kakashi was never wrong! But, he saw, as he entered Ichiraku, he was this time. Obviously, Sakura's loud, blonde friend was not Naruto, as this was where they would have inevitably ended up.

"Kakashi-sensei! Hey-" Naruto's boisterous attempt at an invitation was met with a hand in his face.

"Answer me one thing: Have you seen Sakura?" His normally indifferent voice was almost tangibly razor sharp.

"Sakura-chan? No... Why? Do you think she would join me if I asked her? But what about Hinata? I think she would be mad, cause Sakura-chan said she liked me and I think she's really pretty now that she likes me. I mean, I'm sure she was pretty before, but she was so quiet, and- Kakashi-sensei? Where are you going?" The Kyuubi container hollered at the back of his former sensei.

"To find Sakura."

"Oh, well, you may want to try the Konoichi Klub! Ino and her always go out on Thursdays, and since today is a Thursday, they're likely to... Or you're already gone." The blond man turned and shuffled back under the flaps of the ramen stand.

"What's going on with your sensei, son?" Teuchi was beginning another helping of noodles for Naruto's pork ramen.

Naruto laughed loudly and shook his head. "Kakashi-sensei just figured out he likes Sakura."

"Finally?" The stand owner smirked and served up the softened noodles. The two shared a knowing look and companionable silence for a while.

"Hey, boy?" Teuchi took his hard boiled eggs gingerly out of the boiling water.

"Yeah?" Soft munching filled the air, as Naruto awaited the reply.

"So what are you going to do about the Hyuuga girl?" A choke was heard followed by raucous laughter.

_

If one looked closely at Kakashi's speeding form as he headed to the Yamanaka Hana, one would spot a rather straight nose beginning to unmask itself from his haste.

The bell dinged as the door slammed open. The poor brunette behind the counter squealed as she pricked her finger on the roses she was handling.

"Owowowowdamnitowow..." her whining became a stutter as Kakashi materialized in front of her. "ow... Ow... O...hayo? Oh! Ohayo gozaimasu!" She bowed profusely in her embarrassment. "I didn't see you th-"

"Yamanaka Ino. Has she been here recently?" The poor girl, 'Kari' as her name tag read, paused mid-bow at the coldness of his voice.

"Uh... She... She was here a-about an ho-ho-hour ago. W-with her pink-k haired friend..." Kakashi sighed as he realized Kari was about to faint on him.

"Please, Kari-san, where did they go?" At his warmer tones, she quite visibly relaxed, relief coming into her hazel eyes.

"They stopped in to grab a couple flowers for their hair, and went to the Konoichi Klub. They do it every Thursday. Ino-san always puts a small tigerlily in her hair, and Sakura-san always puts a casablanca lily in hers, but to...day..." Kari faded out when she realized the legendary man was no longer listening, instead having run off.

"If he'd stayed a bit longer, he'd know Sakura-san isn't wearing a casablanca tonight, but a gardenia... Whatever..." She sighed and turned back to the primroses. "Alright! It's you and me!" Her shears caught the light, and if one looked closely at the flowers, one would see them trembling.

_

The Konoichi Klub? Of course Sakura would go to a popular night spot for women and men VERY secure in their masculinity. Kakashi was fine with who he was; he felt no need to prove he was a manly man, and no amount of hair gel was needed to make him more attractive, because his prowess as a ninja said it all.

Like all men who didn't need to display their machismo, the thought of a loud nightclub was a bit horrifying. What happened to simply going to the pub and knocking back a few? He was certain Iyashii could even put an umbrella in a drink when plied with the right amount of ryo. So why subject oneself to a loud, crowded, dimly lit nightclub where dozens of nubile young women danced together-

Kakashi added a bit of chakra to his feet to hasten himself home to his shower.

_

Darkness had befallen the small club, momentarily shocking its patrons with orange-blue after images of the multicolored flashing spot lamps. Kakashi was one of the lucky ones. Having only just walked in, he could see where he going without spots dancing in his vision.

He slowly wove in and out of poorly lit tables surrounding the dance floor, and made his way to the bar.

"Shochu," he said simply. "And umeshu," was added as an afterthought. As his drinks were being retrieved, Kakashi's lone eye searched the pulsing sea of heads for familiar pink and blonde tresses. Where one was, the other was sure to follow.

True to form, Kakashi spotted Ino's signature ponytail switching back and forth with the down beat of the song. His drinks arrived, and Kakashi stealthily located and procured a seat within eyesight of the girls.

Sinking into the plush maroon seat, he leaned back, shadowing himself from sight. He sipped his shochu, pulling a face at the bitterness of the first taste.

His eyes refocused ahead of him, and his heart nearly bottomed out. There, with the Yamanaka nymph, was his ex-student, looking all too much like sweet sin.

Her hair was swept off of her shoulders loosely, with tendrils slipping down to tickle her fair cheeks and collarbone. She was without jewelry, excepting the earrings he had given her for her jounin graduation; silver petals with rose quartz at the tip of each.

Sakura's cheeks were naturally flushed with her dancing, and her veridian eyes were lined with smoky grey kohl, and opened halfway in rapture. Kakashi bit his cheek. What he would give to see her like that more often.

This was, he realized, his first time seeing her in this light; a little more natural, less professional. The effect was beyond breathtaking, almost erotic.

His Sharingan was uncovered, and captured the subtle movements of her spaghetti strapped deep green A-line dress as it hugged her curves like a lost lover.

The song changed, and with it, her style of dance. The slow guitar gave way to a quick, driving beat, and Kakashi stared as she shimmied and twirled.

She spun with Ino, and he caught a glimpse of the black lace of her panties before seeing bare skin.

'A thong, huh?' He bit his lip and stifled an audible groan.

The two girls danced with each other and quickly garnered the attention of the male patrons around them. Hands on each others hips, they moved sensually.

The song quickly ended, and and deep, reverberating bass took over. Ino whispered in Sakura's ear and moved toward the bar. The roseate continued to snap her hips with the beat, simulating a belly dance.

Her eyes snapped open to meet his mismatched stare and she moved in a quick undulation. Confusion and lust battled for dominance, as Sakura mouthed the words.

He stood quickly and made three long strides to stand in front of her. She smirked and twirled around as a pop beat overtook his senses.

He grasp her waist mid spin and pulled her close. She kept moving, making his self-control thread-thin.

They danced together, occasionally meeting hips, grinding together, before she'd spin away, forcing him to give chase. The final straw was when Sakura dropped to the floor, ass in the air, before slowly raising her upper body. Kakashi gripped her hip bones and whispered hotly in her ear.

"Seriously, Sakura, do you think I'm stupid?"

She placed her hands over his and swayed, leaning her head back against his collarbone. "Well, you certainly can't be very smart, considering it took you this long..." With that, she tugged his hands free and walked off, into the darkness surrounding the dancefloor.

He took a step to follow, his movement halted by a small movement by his feet. 'A gardenia...' His mind searched through long dormant memories of his mother to find the meaning of this particular flower.

Recognition lit up his features, and the momentary loss of confidence faded with the realization that Sakura returned his feelings, and he began his trek off the floor again.

"Watch out for her, Kakashi," Ino warned. "She thinks it's just a crush." The blonde smirked and wished him luck on his way out of the club.

He mentally thanked Ino. It had been in the back of his mind that Sakura would shun an actual relationship, instead opting to keep the walls around her heart intact. Even after she and Sasuke made amends, she obviously was not going to make the same mistake twice.

So lost in his thoughts he was, that he hadn't even noticed the chakra signature that appeared behind him. "Some ninja genius."

In the time it had taken him to turn around and grab a kunai from his pouch, she was gone. The click click of heels to his right was his only clue to follow.

Turning sharply, he followed her unmasked chakra through one of the many side alleys that wove through the city like veins in a leaf. So she wanted him to chase her. He'd have denied any other woman this folly, but the events of the past few days had proven Sakura was anything but.

Kakashi paused in his chase, taking in his surroundings. She was leading him to her apartment the long way, almost tracing the paths they walked as a team in the past. To his left was the red bridge they met on for so long, now faded to a dull rust color. Up ahead was Ichiraku, home of so many team meals he'd skipped the bill on.

He was not blind to the history they shared in these places, but he hadn't realized she walked this route everyday. Behind him, blocks away, was the hospital where Sakura was the Assistant Head Medic. Whispers of her succeeding Tsunade had even reached his ears. Ahead, four blocks on a side street, was the former Haruno house, where he had met her parents and picked her up for team meetings.

He was in awe of the symbolic progression of her history, their history, in this one little district of the city. His mind relived everything they had shared as a team. Seven blocks to his right, upon a rooftop, his two male charges had tried to kill each other, with Sakura between them. Straight ahead, the memorial grounds, where Sakura's own parents had lain for the four years following the attack on Konoha. Around the corner from the Yamanaka's, the training grounds set, where their first kiss had taken place.

Kakashi was beginning to understand Sakura more and more. As he stood under a street lamp, staring at Training Ground 3, his eye caught a light coming on in the apartments to his side. He stared as her silhouette closed the blinds and turned to unzip her dress.

Jumping onto her balcony, his hand moved of its own will to trace the shadow line of her arm. He stood there, lost in his own ethics, wondering if what he wanted was right. He swam through self doubt and mentally recited the shinobi rules and regulations. This was most assuredly against the rules.

'Since when have you cared about rules?' The taunting voice of his long dead friend questioned him.

'I care when she's my ex-student, and my current partner, Obito.'

'It's sad that you'll deny yourself happiness just because of a few rules. I thought I had taught you something when I gave you my eye.' The voice faded away in disappointment, and Kakashi realized that his friend had a point.

Kakashi reached for the handle of her french door and slid it open silently.

"Wow, Kakashi, if you had stood out there any longer, I'd have been asleep already." She turned her head to the side, regarding him. "Tea?"

Kakashi was taken aback at the sight of her robed form. Her pink hair had been taken down and was tousled around her shoulders. The robe, a sateen olive fabric which served as more fashion than function, belled at her slim wrists, and dropped to mid thigh.

The only part of the visage that told him the girl he once knew was contained within this beautiful creature, were the obscenely over sized bunny slippers on her feet. They were attached to impossibly long legs, muscled and tanned from her years as a konoichi.

He stood closely behind her, watching as she prepared tea; jasmine, from the smell of it. Kakashi waited as the tea boiled, and yet, she did nothing but watched the mesh ball as it submerged and steeped. Sakura poured their two mugs, and Kakashi took that time to lower his mask, hoping to catch her off guard when she turned.

Sakura turned in the impossibly small space she had between Kakashi and her stove, and handed a mug to Kakashi, not breaking eye contact. He murmured a thank you and set it aside.

He was slightly put off that she hadn't reacted the way he had hoped. A swoon would be nice. Hell, he'd even settle for shaky knees or hands. Instead, she acted like she had seen it all before.

Intent now more than ever on getting some sort of reaction from her, he took her mug from her hands and set it next to his. He stepped even closer than before, effectively blocking her in. Towering over the bubble gum beauty, Kakashi allowed his fingers to play with her hair at the collar of her robe. He could make out the lacy black bra beneath it, and he quirked an eyebrow.

"Something you like?" Queried the woman before him. He made no reply, instead allowing his hand to move from her hair to her arm, trailing his fingers in a light caress. Kakashi was overjoyed at the shiver that rippled through her body.

"So tell me, Sakura-chan," he began, adding the much dispised suffix so he could watch her verdant eyes cycle through emotions. "Was it fun for you?" His hand tickled its way around her hip to her back, and he pulled her against him.

A gasp escaped her, and he knew he had won. A coy raising of eyebrows was his answer.

"Oh, you know," he brought his other hand to her jaw line and traced it with his knuckles. "Outsmarting me."

Her breathing hitched and she covered it with a laugh. "I'm sure your misguided attempts to figure me out were good for you, Kakashi," she pronounced his name slowly, clearly enunciating the syllables. "But you could have simply talked to me." She pushed him back lightly, and his shoulder blades met the wall. Stepping forward, Sakura wove one hand into his hair and gently tugged his face close to hers. "Instead, we had to pussy foot around." Her breath on his naked lips drove him wild, and he regained his hold on her waist. With lips barely touching, she whispered, "And now look where we are."

"Exactly where are we, Sakura-chan?" He asked, a little breathless. The arm around her waist tightened a bit, and pulled her closer, molding her to his body. A small noise escaped her, as he positioned his knee in the middle of her thighs.

She had grown taller, he realized, as her lips were now even with his jaw line. Sakura took advantage of the position he had placed them in, and began kissing her way to his ear lobe. "We," she began between kisses, "are in a rather compromising position."

Kakashi pulled his head back to eye her seriously. "Sakura, you'll find that I don't readily compromise." That said, he flipped their positions, knee still between her legs, his face buried in the crook of her neck, while she struggled for breath. "Now," he started, lightly nipping the space on her jaw beneath her ear. "Shall we discuss the incident that started this?"

A rather unladylike snort answered him. "Seriously, is it that big of a deal to you? It was just a kiss. An acc-" Her words cut off into a delightful mix of moan and gasp, when Kakashi nibbled her collarbone.

"It was no accident, Sakura." His low voice made her quiver, and he relished in the knowledge that he had caused it. Kakashi trailed his fingers over her ribs, and brought his face close to hers.

Sakura's eyes were half-closed, and her lips slightly parted. Her pupils dilated, focusing on his own lips. She flicked her eyes up to him, before dropping them back again. "Try it again then?"

He chuckled, and she lost her breath as the realization of just how handsome he really was sunk in. Giving her no more time to take in his visage, he replied, "Let's." Sakura's toes curled as he kissed her near-senseless. Reflex kicked back in, and her hands moved into his hair as she sighed.

The kiss was completely different from anything Sakura had felt before. It was gentle, as Kakashi molded his lips to hers with a simple slant. It was passionate, as his tongue tapped her lips, asking permission. And when she gave it unflinchingly, it was full of implication.

Without breaking the kiss, Kakashi lifted Sakura, forcing her to wrap her legs around him. Finally feeling the need to breathe, Kakashi withdrew, occupying himself with the juncture of her neck.

At this vantage, she could feel the hardness of his arousal, and a slight tremor in his back.

"You're shaking..." She murmured. He simply nodded and continued laving attention on her neck. "Move to the bed?" He shook his head in the negative. "Then what?"

His answer was simple. Kakashi deftly worked his fingers under her robe, and stroked her through her black lace thong. After a low moan, Sakura's wits half returned. "Here? Right here?! Kakashi, this is the entry hall!" After some persuading with his hand, Sakura couldn't be bothered to care.

Lowering them down as a single entity, Kakashi laid Sakura beneath him and undid her robe. Poetic euphemisms to describe her beauty could wait, he decided. The sexual tension between them had been building up far too long, and from the look of the blossom beneath him, they both badly needed release.

Making short work of his clothes (really, did she have to rip his favorite Jounin shirt?), Kakashi fumbled a bit with her panties (wow, thongs really are ALL fashion). Sakura seemed to be all thumbs with his belt, before she finally gave up and used chakra to just break the damned thing. She used her feet to help divest him of his pants (he'd file away the name 'Monkey Toes' for later use), and a simple kunai to the bra worked wonders.

As he sank into her, they sighed in unison. There was time to go slow later, they both decided, sharing a look. Kakashi began slowly, only to work up to a frenzied pace within her. Where he pushed, she ground, and their unified moment of completion was fast approaching. Kakashi nipped her neck, and Sakura tugged his hair, as a low, burning coil formed deep within them.

"I'm..." She breathed in his hair. The feeling of her slickness tightening, and the puff of her ragged breaths were threatening to send him over the edge of a very steep cliff. "I'm..." She whined, more urgent.

"I know," Kakashi stated simply, almost there himself.

"I'm... On my slipper!" He opened the eye he hadn't realized he had shut to stare at the pink haired woman, dumbstruck. He ceased all motion and raised himself up a bit.

"So?" She glowered cutely and wriggled to get an arm beneath her. The motion made his breath hitch, and he spasmed inside her.

Sakura gasped at the feeling, and redoubled her efforts in Operation: Save the Wabbit. "It's nose is in my ass!"

A cry of triumph erupted as the furry assailant was dislodged from her derriere. "Well, that's all very well and good, but the moment's gone." Now it was Kakashi's turn to stare sourly at the offending bunny slipper. It looked so harmless laying off to the side, but as a ninja, he knew all about deception. That bunny had effectively killed the mood.

A tightening around his slowly softening member had Kakashi gasping. His gaze move, unflinchingly, from the Evil Doom Slipper to Sakura's deviously glinting green eyes. "Says who?"

The next day, when those same bunny slippers were seen headed to the curb for pick-up, it was Hatake Kakashi who had the last laugh(In all actuality, it was the weirdo tranny in the park who, on occasion, wore womens' shoes).

---------------

Below are different words/names/items from this fanfic. If you feel so inclined, read up a bit, otherwise, skip to that lovely blue button down there vv

On the jutsu:

Sakura uses a kage bunshin as she is Jounin level, this is viable. Kage meaning 'Shadow' and Bunshin meaning 'clone'.

Suiryudan is short for Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu- basically Water Element: Water Dragon

On the supporting OC's:

Kari is my sister's name, but it's also Japanese for 'pure' or 'jasmine', depending on the kanji used. If using it as a word and not a name, it takes on a different connotation, one of which being 'loan'. That would be the meaning I'm using, as Kari is doing the Yamanakas a favor by working there.

Hiroshi typically means 'Generous'

Mika has multiple meanings; New Moon, Beautiful Smell, Three trees together, or quick/nimble. I'm using the latter.

Udon Dai- Udon is a thick wheat noodle, which is semi-transparent when cooked. Dai literally means great or abundant. Since Japanese names are last name first, any of Western teaching would say his name is Dai Udon, literally "abundance of noodles". It's me making fun of him for being short and fat.

Iyashii is a descriptive for 'greedy', but I'm using it as a name as an homage to the gazillion seedy bars in my hometown.

On random words thrown in:

Gomen- sorry

Arigato- thanks, though it's often simple said as 'thank you', arigato is simply more polite. Domo arigato is very gracious and very proper.

Suriagebitai- literally, high and broad forehead.

On the flowers:

a tigerlily means wealth or pride, and I use it as a barb on Ino's self-assuredness.

A casablanca, or white, lily means virginity, purity, majesty, or 'It's heavenly to be with you.'

A gardenia means 'You're lovely,' or secret love.

On the beverages:

Absinthe is traditionally a wormwood infused hallucinogenic alcohol. It was banned from some states in the US for different reasons. I have had it, and personally didn't hallucinate, but it tasted like anise(or licorice, for a more recognizable flavor).

Shochu- typically with an alcohol content of 20-40%, it's derived from rice, potatoes, water, and/or sugar cane. A lot of people mix it because of its strength, but it's tasty shot straight and warm.

Umeshu- shochu and plum juice. A common mixture purchased at many grocers and bars. I haven't tried this, but I may be compelled to.

On the Songs:

The basis of this story is OK Go's "C-c-c-cinnamon Lips", but really just in the playful, quasi-sarcastic tone.

The songs Sakura dances to are "Slither" by Velvet Revolver, "Spank" by kidneythieves (the KMFDM remix), and "The Naughty Song" by Cory Lee.

Again, thank you to the folks at the forum, and my FB friends(b/c they kept on my ass for a month and a half). Don't hesitate to give constructive criticism(I need it to live!)


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